kokeb stands for a star in Amharic (Ethiopian language)
The severity from harsh wind and low temperature was far more than I expected upon our departure for Seoraksan from Seoul. Sensible temperature at the peak marked, at most, -50 degree in Celsius whereas thermometer reads around -26 and wind travels in 16 meter per second. Nobody there could keep standing a second with strong wind. I could manage to move on with the help of rope along the pathway at earthworm speed. I was so scared because failing in rope grasp might have led me to fall down to cliff.
After all, I got to a shelter at the foot of the peak suffering from frostbite on my left cheek, thumb sized area directly exposed to wind. Anyway, I survived extremity. You can imagine how harsh wind was by checking out audio clip that I captured at the waist of Seoraksan, not at the peak. :-( At the peak? It's up to your imagination!
I could realize that too many souvenirs took much space at home. They were from largely Japan, Ethiopia, USA, and other places I visited or friends did. Re-arranging them into appropriate slots took nearly all day. I could recollect beautiful memory linking a souvenir and whoever gave it to me. Fullest smile stayed with me all through the arrangement. What a virtue of travel and staying overseas!
The city, small but full of amusements, attracts people and me from overseas. Facilities as well as amenities were available for tourists and citizens under proper management. Three days exploration could not cover all the spots open to me. However, it was clear from my first impression that why most people want to stay there for vacation or permanent residence.
The best attractive point for me was relatively cheap food price. Foods were made from fresh materials. The kinds of food with Asian countries' delicacy gave me a joy to be lined up in front of local restaurants every meal hours. I was in search for spicy flavor all through stay there. Tropical fruits galore were another temptation!
More surprising thing than I expected was that diversified ethnic groups flourish their own cultures with sincere respect to one another. This sustaining factor seemed to form what the Singapore is and what it has now. Nobody out of whomever I met in the middle of this travel expressed discrimination or showed inhospitality.
Hopefully, next travel destination will be Singapore again because visiting spots this time were very limited to downtown area and Sentosa Island due to short schedule. Enjoy photos and videos from below!
Surprising fact heard from my junior recently was that the Ukraine is one of cognac producers! Cognac in the small bottle next to Ukraine doll is what I received from junior as a souvenir. We had no idea when, why, and how the Ukraine started to produce it. However, further curiosity is non-sense; one bottle of cognac is already at my hand. Something new always makes me open eyes toward all directions across the globe. Whenever I come to know one thing, I can add one more topic in story pool and life memory. Existence of Ukraine cognac can be the latest topic. :)
The place, ZhangJiaJie, is now getting attention for tourism from the world. The number of visitors is in increasing trend every year. In my guess by staying there a week, over 95 percent of travelers are Korean. Korean travellers hit the record every year.
Spectacular panorama is available in most of places around this area and is accessible by convenient transportation systems of bus routes and cableways altogether. The cableways give travelers a chance to experience fascinating view seen in the middle of free space.
The Chinese government designated this area as a National Geopark with a big support from central and regional government. UNESCO also confirmed exceptional and universal value of this site as a scenic and historic interest area on the world heritage list. Exploring new chances for travel as well as protecting it from damages coexists toward tourism promotion and environmental protection. This area is, allegedly, designated as a venue for rafting and related events of 2008 Olympic Games. In other words, youngsters may consider this spot as a center of extreme sports in China. Related facilities are already available and will be usable in the future with appropriate amenities. Travel destinations in or nearby ZhangJiaJie include,
^_^)
We drove to northmost point of Okinawa. On the way reaching there, visiting local markets and looking around seaside gave me another fun, an experience of nearly untouched community from industrialized or westernized Japanese society.
Yes, I had half day to return back to Korea! The last night only with my friend was complete full of awamori.
Historical fact shows that Ryukyu Kingdom centered in this castle lasted over 500 years independent from main land regime, maybe, due to geographical separation. You can imagine it from world wide map, if available. Trade over Asian region and diplomatic practices with China played a great role in forming Ryukyu culture. Imported Thailand rice gave birth to awamori distilled from it. Ryukyu dance reflects inferiority in relation with China.
Sefa Utaki, the sacred place believed to be created by goddess of Okinawa, had a view point toward Kudaka island also sacred. There was nothing in particular for me except triangular shaped stone tunnel naturally (I am not sure) eroded. The whole area is a world heritage.
The third visit place, theme park for cultural experience, was just so so. We returned back to Nago a little earlier; We dove into awamori pool earlier, too. Another ex-JOCVs joined dinner with us.
Upon the pick up by Japanese friend, we visited the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters located in southern part of main land. One of ruins during world war II, but well preserved, showed just tragedy that post war generation including me can and/or may not understand. After a short go-around, we moved to peace memorial museum. (For more information, refer to brochure)
It was a museum keeping typical items, such as miniatures of war fields, photos of war veterans, documentaries of war in live, and so on. However, my intention was to visit memorial stones located along the seashore, in front of it. Names of war victims including around 90 Korean were inscribed to propitiate their souls. God bless all of them!
Facing awamori at dinner was a peculiar experience in drinking life. High rate alcohol volume like whiskey made me drunken but feeling high spirit. Another delight was drinking over fresh seafood with ex-JOCVs in Okinawa!
